U.S. patent application number 12/146710 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-13 for device and system for selective wireless communication with contact list memory.
This patent application is currently assigned to Modu Ltd.. Invention is credited to Dov Moran.
Application Number | 20080280627 12/146710 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34116908 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080280627 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moran; Dov |
November 13, 2008 |
DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTIVE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION WITH CONTACT
LIST MEMORY
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems for wireless communication. A
device user defines a list of contacts and receives a collective
indication of which contacts are located within a neighborhood of
the device. The neighborhood is defined at the device, for example
by the device itself or by the user. A plurality of device users
define respective user profiles including user attributes. One of
the users defines a target attribute, and receives an indication of
which other users that have that attribute have devices in the
first user's neighborhood. The devices communicate among themselves
either indirectly, for example via cellular base stations, or
directly.
Inventors: |
Moran; Dov; (Kefar Saba,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Soquel Group, LLC
P.O. Box 691
Soquel
CA
95073
US
|
Assignee: |
Modu Ltd.
Kefar Saba
IL
|
Family ID: |
34116908 |
Appl. No.: |
12/146710 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10770505 |
Feb 4, 2004 |
7398081 |
|
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12146710 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 2250/10 20130101;
H04W 8/005 20130101; H04M 1/72412 20210101; H04M 1/2746 20200101;
H04W 4/024 20180201; H04M 1/72457 20210101; H04W 4/02 20130101;
H04W 4/08 20130101; H04L 67/306 20130101; H04W 4/029 20180201; H04M
1/27453 20200101; H04M 1/2745 20130101; H04W 8/186 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/456.1 |
International
Class: |
H04Q 7/20 20060101
H04Q007/20 |
Claims
1. A method of communication by a user of a first wireless device,
comprising the steps of: (a) defining a contact list that includes
at least one contact name; (b) defining a neighborhood of the first
wireless device, said defining being effected at the first wireless
device; and (c) indicating which of said at least one contact name
is associated with a respective other wireless device located
within said neighborhood.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by the user.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a radius of
said neighborhood.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a minimum
received signal strength.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (d) if
one of said at least one contact name is associated with a
respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood:
communicating with said other wireless device, by the user of the
first wireless device.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication is direct.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication is
indirect.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said contact list includes, for
at least one of said at least one contact name, at least one
respective attribute; wherein the method further comprises the step
of: (d) defining a target attribute, by the user; and wherein said
indicating also indicates whether said target attribute is among
said at least one respective attribute of said at least one contact
name that is associated with said respective other wireless device
located within said neighborhood.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein only said at least one contact
name, that is associated with said respective other wireless device
located within said neighborhood and that has said target attribute
among said at least one respective attribute thereof, is
indicated.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (d) for
at least one of said at least one contact name that is associated
with a respective other wireless device located within said
neighborhood: indicating a geographical location of said respective
other wireless device.
11. A method of communication by a plurality of users of respective
wireless devices, comprising the steps of: (a) defining a
respective user profile for each user, at least one said user
profile including at least one user attribute; (b) defining a
target attribute, by one of the users; (c) defining a neighborhood
of the respective wireless device of said one user, said defining
being effected at the respective wireless device of said one user;
and (d) indicating to said one user which of the respective
wireless devices of the other users, whose respective user profiles
include said target attribute among said user attributes thereof,
are within said neighborhood.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by said one user.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a radius of
said neighborhood.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein said defining of said
neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a minimum
received signal strength.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: (e) if
a respective wireless device of another user, whose respective
profile includes said target attribute, is within said
neighborhood: communicating with said other user, by said one
user.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: (e) for
at least one of said respective wireless devices of the other users
whose respective user profiles include said target attribute among
said user attributes thereof and that are within said neighborhood:
indicating a geographical location of said at least one respective
wireless device.
17-30. (canceled)
31. A wireless communication device, comprising: (a) a transceiver
for communicating with other wireless devices; (b) a mechanism for
defining a neighborhood of the wireless communication device; (c) a
mechanism for defining a target attribute; and (d) a display
mechanism for indicating whether a respective said other wireless
device, of a user who has said target attribute, is located within
said neighborhood.
32. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further
comprising: (e) a mechanism for setting up a piconet that includes
the wireless communication device and said respective other
wireless device that is located within said neighborhood.
33. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further
comprising: (e) a navigation mechanism for determining a location
of the wireless communication device.
34. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further
comprising: (e) a mechanism for indicating, for at least one of
said respective other wireless devices that are located within said
neighborhood, a geographical location of said at least one
respective other wireless device.
35-40. (canceled)
Description
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to wireless communication and,
more particularly, to a method and system with which a user of a
wireless transceiver can be informed which other users, of similar
wireless transceivers, who are of interest to the user, are
available for communication.
[0002] Cellular telephony networks are well-known and ubiquitous. A
subscriber to a cellular telephony service can use a mobile
telephone to communicate with other subscribers, or with
subscribers to ordinary, fixed telephony service. The communication
is wireless, via a set of fixed base stations.
[0003] Direct wireless communication between users of mobile
handsets also is known. One such method of particular interest is
the "three-in-one" usage model of "voice over Bluetooth" as defined
by Ericsson of Stockholm, Sweden under the Bluetooth standard for
short-range ad hoc wireless networks, or "piconets". (Even though,
strictly speaking, the term "piconet" is specific to the Bluetooth
standard, this term is used herein to refer to an ad-hoc, temporary
wireless network established under either Bluetooth or any similar
wireless communication protocol.) In the most common
implementations of the "three-in-one" model in "voice over
Bluetooth", the mobile telephone is used as a wireless telephone in
communication with a home base station, or as a cellular telephone;
but the model also includes the possibility of peer-to-peer
communication in "intercom" mode.
[0004] The Nokia Series 60 smartphone software platform supports
multiplayer games in Bluetooth. Users of devices that are based on
this platform can get together to create a Bluetooth piconet for
playing interactive multiplayer games. Friends can arrange to meet
to play games, but there is no convenient way for friends to
identify each other in a crowd for the purpose of spontaneously
forming a Bluetooth piconet to play a game. More generally, there
is no convenient way for a mobile phone user to use his/her mobile
phone to identify members of a common interest group who
coincidentally are nearby. The Bluetooth standard includes a
"device discovery procedure" by which one Bluetooth device
discovers which other Bluetooth devices are within wireless
communication range; but this procedure finds all such devices, not
just the devices that belong to members of a common interest
group.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a
method of communication by a user of a first wireless device,
including the steps of: (a) defining a contact list that includes
at least one contact name; (b) defining a neighborhood of the first
wireless device, the defining being effected at the first wireless
device; and (c) indicating which of the at least one contact name
is associated with a respective other wireless device located
within the neighborhood.
[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a
method of communication by a plurality of users of respective
wireless devices, including the steps of: (a) defining a respective
user profile for each user, at least one user profile including at
least one user attribute; (b) defining a target attribute, by one
of the users; (c) defining a neighborhood of the respective
wireless device of the one user, the defining being effected at the
respective wireless device of the one user; and (d) indicating to
the one user which of the respective wireless devices of the other
users, whose respective user profiles include the target attribute
among the user attributes thereof, are within the neighborhood.
[0007] According to the present invention there is provided a
wireless communication device, including: (a) a transceiver for
communicating with other wireless devices; (b) a contact list
memory for storing a contact list that includes at least one
contact name; (c) a mechanism for defining a neighborhood of the
wireless communication device; and (d) a mechanism for indicating
which of the at least one contact name is associated with a
respective other wireless device located within the
neighborhood.
[0008] According to the present invention there is provided a
wireless communication device, including: (a) a transceiver for
communicating with other wireless devices; (b) a mechanism for
defining a neighborhood of the wireless communication device; (c) a
mechanism for defining a target attribute; and (d) a display
mechanism for indicating whether a respective other wireless
device, of a user who has the target attribute, is located within
the neighborhood.
[0009] As understood herein, a "contact name" is a character string
associated with a person or other entity (the "contact") with whom
a user of a wireless device may wish to communicate. Typical
contact names include actual names of contacts, nicknames of
contacts and telephone numbers of contacts.
[0010] The methods, devices and systems of the present invention
are methods, devices and systems for communication among users of
the devices. "Communication" is to be understood in a generalized
sense as facilitating the possibility of interaction among users of
the devices. The present invention enables a user to find out which
other users, generally or as members of a common interest group,
are available for interaction via their respective devices. Whether
the user actually interacts with the other users is optional.
[0011] According to a first method of the present invention, a
contact list that includes at least one contact name is defined for
a first wireless device, typically by the user of the device; a
neighborhood of the device is defined, by the user of the device or
by the device itself; and an indication is provided of which of the
contact names, if any, is associated with another wireless device
that is located within the neighborhood. The neighborhood typically
is defined by defining a neighborhood radius around the first
wireless device: any other wireless device that is within the
defined distance of the first wireless device is deemed to be
within the neighborhood. Alternatively, the neighborhood is defined
via a minimum signal strength: any other wireless device from which
a signal is received by the first wireless device at a signal
strength at least as great as the minimum signal strength is deemed
to be within the neighborhood.
[0012] Optionally, if one of the contacts is in fact indicated to
be associated with a wireless device located within the
neighborhood, the user of the first wireless device communicates
with the other wireless device. This communication may be direct,
for example via a Bluetooth piconet, or indirect, for example via a
base station of a cellular telephony network.
[0013] Preferably, the contact list includes, for at least one of
the contact names, at least one respective attribute. The user of
the first wireless device defines a target attribute. The
indication that is provided also indicates whether the target
attribute is among the attributes, if any, of each of the contact
names that is associated with another wireless device located
within the defined neighborhood of the first wireless device. Most
preferably, only the contact names that have the target attribute
are indicated.
[0014] Preferably, along with indicating which of the contact names
is associated with another wireless device that is located within
the neighborhood, the geographical location of at least one of
those other wireless devices also is indicated. One way of
indicating the geographical location of one of the other wireless
devices is to indicate the range and bearing from the first
wireless device to the other wireless device.
[0015] According to a second method of the present invention, a
respective user profile is defined for each of a plurality of users
of respective wireless devices. At least one of the user profiles
includes at least one attribute of the respective user. One of the
users defines a target attribute. A neighborhood of that user's
wireless device is defined, by that user or by that user's
wireless, device; and an indication is provided of which wireless
devices, if any, of the other users whose user profiles include the
target attribute among those users' attributes, are located within
the neighborhood.
[0016] The neighborhood typically is defined by defining a
neighborhood radius around the one user's wireless device: any
other wireless device that is within the defined distance of the
one user's wireless device is deemed to be within the neighborhood.
Alternatively, the neighborhood is defined via a minimum signal
strength: any other wireless device from which a signal is received
by the one user's wireless device at a signal strength at least as
great as the minimum signal strength is deemed to be within the
neighborhood. Optionally, if a wireless device, among whose user's
attributes is the target attribute, is in fact within the
neighborhood, the one user communicates with the user of that other
wireless device.
[0017] Preferably, along with indicating which wireless devices, of
the other users whose user profiles include the target attribute
among those users' attributes, are located within the neighborhood,
the geographical location of one of the wireless devices of those
other users also is indicated.
[0018] A wireless communication device for implementing the first
method of the present invention includes a transceiver for
communicating with other wireless devices; a contact list memory
for storing the contact list; a mechanism for defining the
neighborhood of the wireless communication device; and a mechanism
for indicating which contact names, if any, are associated with
respective other wireless devices that are located within the
neighborhood.
[0019] Preferably, the wireless communication device includes a
mechanism for setting up a piconet that includes the wireless
communication device and the other wireless device(s) that is/are
located within the neighborhood.
[0020] Preferably, the wireless communication device includes a
navigation mechanism for determining a location of the wireless
communication device.
[0021] Preferably, the wireless communication device includes a
mechanism for indicating the geographical location of one of the
other wireless devices that is located within the neighborhood and
that is associated with one of the contact names.
[0022] A system for implementing the first method of the present
invention includes a plurality of wireless communication devices
for implementing the first method of the present invention and at
least one base station for managing wireless communication among
the wireless communication devices. Preferably, at least one of the
base stations includes a mechanism for determining the respective
locations of the wireless communication devices. Alternatively,
each wireless communication device includes its own mechanism for
determining its own location and informing the base station(s) of
that location.
[0023] To also support the second method of the present invention,
the wireless communication device preferably also includes a
mechanism for defining a target attribute. Each contact name
optionally is associated with at least one respective attribute.
The mechanism for indicating which contact name(s) is/are
associated with the wireless devices that are located within the
neighborhood also indicates whether the target attribute is among
the attribute(s) associated with the contact name(s). Most
preferably, only the contact names that have the target attribute
are indicated.
[0024] A system for implementing the second method of the present
invention includes a plurality of wireless communication devices
that support both methods of the present invention and at least one
user profile memory for storing respective user profiles of the
wireless communication devices. Recall that in order to implement
the first method of the present invention, each wireless
communication device must include a mechanism for indicating which
contact names are associated with respective other wireless devices
that are located within the defined neighborhood of the wireless
communication device. In order to support the second method of the
present invention, if the other wireless device is a member of the
plurality of wireless communication devices that support both
methods of the present invention, then that mechanism also
indicates whether the target attribute is among the attributes, if
any, in that other wireless device's user profile. Preferably, only
the contact names, that are associated with respective other
wireless devices that have the target attribute among the
attributes in their user profiles, are indicated.
[0025] Preferably, each wireless communication device has its own
user profile memory for storing its user profile. Alternatively,
the system includes at least one base station for managing
communication among the wireless communication devices, and the
user profile memory or memories are at the at least one base
station.
[0026] A wireless communication device that supports the second
method of the present invention without necessarily supporting the
first method of the present invention includes a transceiver for
communicating with other wireless devices, a mechanism for defining
a neighborhood of the wireless communication device, a mechanism
for defining a target attribute and a display mechanism for
indicating whether one of the other wireless devices, whose user
has the target attribute, is located within the neighborhood.
[0027] Preferably, the wireless communication device includes a
mechanism for setting up a piconet that includes the wireless
communication device and the other wireless device(s) that is/are
located within the neighborhood.
[0028] Preferably, the wireless communication device includes a
navigation mechanism for determining a location of the wireless
communication device.
[0029] Preferably, the wireless communication device also includes
a mechanism for indicating the geographical location of one of the
other wireless devices that is located within the neighborhood and
whose user has the target attribute.
[0030] Another system for implementing the second method of the
present invention includes a plurality of wireless communication
devices that support the second method of the present invention
without necessarily supporting the first method of the present
invention, and a base station for managing communication among the
wireless communication devices. Preferably, at least one of the
base stations includes a mechanism for determining the respective
locations of the wireless communication devices. Alternatively,
each wireless communication device includes its own mechanism for
determining its own location and informing the base station(s) of
that location.
[0031] Yet another system for implementing the second method of the
present invention includes a plurality of wireless communication
devices that support the second method of the present invention
without necessarily supporting the first method of the present
invention, and at least one user profile memory for storing
respective user profiles of the wireless communication devices. For
any of such wireless communication devices, if one of the other
wireless devices with which that wireless communication device
communicates is another such wireless communication device and the
target attribute is among the user attributes in the other wireless
device's user profile, then the display mechanism of the first
wireless communication device indicates that the other wireless
device is located within the neighborhood of the first wireless
communication device. Preferably, each wireless communication
device has its own user profile memory for storing its user
profile. Alternatively, the system includes at least one base
station for managing communication among the wireless communication
devices, and the user profile memory or memories are at the at
least one base station.
[0032] Graham, in US Patent Application No. 2003/0060215, teaches a
method, similar to the methods of the present invention, for
indicating to a user of a cellular telephone how many other users,
or even how many other users that satisfy certain selection
criteria, are in system-specified or user specified geographic
areas. The present invention differs from the invention of Graham
in several respects, notably that the present invention identifies
the other users. In addition, Graham's "geographic areas"
apparently are cells, or combinations of cells, of the associated
cellular network. The present invention locates the other users of
interest with considerably more precision than just one cell of a
cellular network.
[0033] Pelephone Communications of Givatayim, Israel offers a
service called "Escape" that is similar to the present invention,
in that a user of a cellular telephone can define a contact list
and ask which of the contacts are in his/her neighborhood, and
where (in general terms) selected contacts are located. One
important difference between the present invention and Escape is
that Escape does not allow the users to define their own
neighborhoods but instead defines neighborhoods for the users. This
distinction between the present invention and Escape is defined in
the method claims as the definition of the neighborhood being
effected at the wireless device of the user who wants to know which
contacts are in his/her neighborhood. Defining the to neighborhood
at the wireless device is in contrast to the neighborhood being
defined by an entity, such as a cellular base station or at the
Mobile Switching Center of a GSM cellular network, that is not
necessarily collocated with the wireless device when the
neighborhood is defined. For example, under the present invention,
the user may define the neighborhood explicitly, e.g. by using the
keypad of the wireless device to enter a value of a radius, or the
wireless device itself may define the neighborhood implicitly, e.g.
on the basis of received signal strength. In addition, the present
invention locates contacts much more precisely than Escape. Escape
tells users in general terms where their contacts are (e.g., "near
Ichilov hospital"). The present invention provides users with
geographical coordinates of contacts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] The invention is herein described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0035] FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a mobile wireless
communication device of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a contact list;
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a user profile;
[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates a cellular telephony embodiment of the
present invention;
[0039] FIG. 5 is a prior art contact list display;
[0040] FIG. 6 is a contact list display in which the contact who is
located in the neighborhood and who has the target attribute is
highlighted;
[0041] FIG. 7 is a display of names of general users who are
located in the neighborhood and who have the target attribute;
[0042] FIG. 8 is a display of the geographic location of one of the
general users of FIG. 7;
[0043] FIG. 9 is a contact list display in which all active
contacts are highlighted;
[0044] FIG. 10 is a contact list display in which all active
contacts in the neighborhood are highlighted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0045] The present invention is of a method and system by which a
user of a mobile wireless communication device can be shown which
members of a contact list are available for communication, either
via the members' own mobile wireless communication devices or
face-to-face. In particular, the indication can be restricted to
only members of the contact list who have a specifically targeted
attribute, such as belonging to a specific interest group.
[0046] The principles and operation of selective communication
according to the present invention may be better understood with
reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.
[0047] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a high-level block
diagram of a mobile wireless communication device 10 of the present
invention. The high level components of device 10 include a
transceiver 14, a processor 16, a memory 18, a keypad 24, a display
screen 26 and a navigation unit 28, all intercommunicating via a
common bus 12.
[0048] Transceiver 14 is a conventional transceiver that supports
wireless voice communication between device 10 and another such
device. As such, transceiver 14 includes a microphone for
converting audible speech of a user of device 10 to electrical
signals, a transmitter for modulating a radio frequency carrier
wave according to those electrical signals and transmitting the
modulated radio frequency wave, a receiver for receiving a
similarly modulated radio frequency wave and demodulating the
received wave to produce electrical signals corresponding to
received audible speech, and a speaker for converting the received
electrical signals to sound that is audible by the user of device
10.
[0049] Overall operation of device 10 is controlled by a
conventional processor 16. Keypad 24 is a conventional data entry
device, and display screen 26 is a conventional data display
device, such as are familiar to users of cellular telephones.
Memory 18 is a non-volatile read/write memory, such as a flash
memory, that stores, inter alia, two lists that are unique to the
present invention: a contact list 20 and a user profile 22.
Navigation unit 28 is a unit such as a GPS receiver that determines
the geographical location of device 10, typically (as in the case
of a GPS receiver) as the geographical coordinates of device 10 in
a standard geographical coordinate system.
[0050] FIG. 2 shows an example of a contact list 20 of the present
invention. Contact list 20 is a table of names and telephone
numbers of people and other entities with which the user of device
10 communicates using device 10. Each row 30 of contact list 20 is
specific to a particular contact. The first column 32 of contact
list 20 is for names or nicknames of contacts. The second column 34
of contact list 20 is for telephone numbers of contacts. The
remaining columns 36 of contact list 20 are for user-defined
attributes of the contacts. In the example shown, the attributes
are membership in interest groups of interest to the user of device
10. In the example shown, there are two attribute columns 36. The
table of contact list 20 is extensible to any desired number of
attribute columns 34, limited only by the capacity of memory
18.
[0051] FIG. 3 shows an example of a user profile 22 of the present
invention. User profile 22 is a list of information about the user
of device 10. The first field 40 is used to store the name of the
user. The second field 42 is used to store the telephone number of
the user. Subsequent fields 44 are used to store attributes of the
user that the user wants to make public, so that other users of
devices 10 can use the methods of the present invention to contact
and/or locate that user. Only one field 44 in FIG. 3 is shown as
being used to store a user attribute. The remaining fields 44 are
available for future use. Note that the attributes of FIG. 2 are
private attributes that are used only by the user of the device 10
that stores contact list 20 of FIG. 2, and so may be simple and
general. By contrast, the attribute shown in FIG. 3 is a public
attribute and so is necessarily more specific, showing that John
Smith is a member of Masonic Lodge 123, and not merely that John
Smith is a Mason.
[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of an embodiment of the
present invention in which devices 10 are cellular telephones
("cell phones") that communicate with each other via base stations
50 of a cellular telephony network. In FIG. 4, devices 10 are
labeled by the names of their users: JOHN is the user whose device
10 stores user profile 22 of FIG. 3, and the other users are users
(JIM, MOM, TOM, DICK, ALICE) that are listed in contact list 20 of
JOHN's device 10, and also SID, another member of Masonic Lodge
123. Like user profile 22 of JOHN's device 10, user profile 22 of
SID's device 10 includes "Masonic Lodge 123" as a user
attribute.
[0053] The following operations are performed by JOHN by
appropriate use of keypad 24 to select menu items displayed on
display screen 26, as is conventional in the use of cell phones.
These operations produce displays on display screen 26 of the type
illustrated in FIGS. 5-10. The first operation (contact list
display) is a prior art operation common to cell phones generally,
and is presented only as background for the subsequent
operations.
Contact List Display
[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates the display of the contact names of
contact list 20.
[0055] Rectangle 54 outlines a portion (five lines) of column 32 of
contact list that is actually displayed on display screen 26 at one
time. JOHN views the entire list of contact names by scrolling the
list up and down. JOHN calls a contact of his contact list 20 by
selecting the name of the contact.
Defining a Neighborhood
[0056] JOHN defines a neighborhood of his cell phone 10 by entering
the radius (e.g., 200 meters) of the neighborhood using keypad 24.
All other cell phones 10 that are within a circle 52 of the defined
radius centered on JOHN's cell phone 10 are located within the
defined neighborhood.
Contacts Having an Attribute
[0057] To find out which contacts to whom JOHN has assigned the
attribute "Mason" are within the defined neighborhood with their
cell phones 10 turned on, JOHN enters the target attribute "Mason"
using keypad 24. The resulting display on display screen 26 is
illustrated in FIG. 6. This display is identical to the display of
contact list 20 in FIG. 5, except that "TOM" is highlighted.
[0058] Alternatively, only the contacts with the attribute "Mason",
whose cell phones 10 are turned on, are displayed. In the present
example, such a display would include only the name "TOM".
[0059] There are two methods by which JOHN's cell phone 10 can
determine that the only contact with the attribute "Mason" that is
present in the defined neighborhood is TOM.
[0060] The first method is by exploiting known techniques by which
a cellular telephony network monitors the movements of its cell
phones that are turned on. See, for example, Neher, U.S. Pat. No.
6,362,778 and the prior art references cited therein. Both the
Neher patent and all of the prior art references cited therein are
incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth
herein. Each base station 50 keeps a record of the geographical
locations of the cell phones that are active in the cell serviced
by that base station 50 and in the neighboring cells. JOHN's cell
phone 10 requests, from the base station 50 that is servicing
JOHN's cell phone 10, the geographical locations of all cell phones
10 of contacts that have the attribute "Mason". That base station
50 responds by sending to JOHN's cell phone 10 the geographical
locations of active cell phones 10 of all the contacts that have
the attribute "Mason". Using the geographical location of JOHN's
cell phone 10 as determined by navigation unit 28, processor 16 of
JOHN's cell phone 10 computes the range to all of those cell phones
10. Cell phones 10 whose ranges are less than or equal to the
defined radius are within the defined neighborhood. Note that this
method works even for cell phones of the cellular telephony network
that are not cell phones 10 of the present invention.
[0061] The second method is by successively dialing all the
telephone numbers of all the cell phones 10 of the contacts with
the attribute "Mason", in a background mode that does not cause
those cell phones 10 to ring, but merely prompts those cell phones
to reply with messages that indicate the geographical locations of
those cell phones, as determined by their navigation units 28.
"Background" mode is, as its name implies, a mode of operation that
coexists with normal operation of a cell phone 10 and is
transparent to the user of that cell phone 10. Typically,
"background" mode operates via the control channel of the cellular
telephony network. So, for example, a cell phone 10 can respond to
a "background" mode inquiry even while the user of that cell phone
10 is engaged in conversation via that cell phone 10. As in the
first method, processor 16 of JOHN's cell phone 10 computes the
ranges to all cell phones 10 that respond to the background mode
query from JOHN's cell phone 10. Cell phones 10 whose ranges are
less than or equal to the defined radius are within the defined
neighborhood. This method locates only cell phones 10 of the
present invention and other similar cell phones that are equipped
with navigation units such as units 28.
General Users having an Attribute
[0062] To find out which members of Masonic Lodge 123 have their
cell phones 10 turned on within the defined neighborhood, JOHN
enters the target attribute "Masonic Lodge 123" using keypad 24.
Processor 16 of JOHN's cell phone 10 can tell that "Masonic Lodge
123" is a public attribute rather than a private attribute because
"Masonic Lodge 123" is not among the attributes appearing in
attribute columns 36 of contact list 20. Alternatively, the menu
scheme of cell phone 10 sets up the context for processor 16
knowing whether an entered attribute is a private attribute or a
public attribute. The resulting display on display screen 26 is
shown in FIG. 7. The display includes the names of TOM ("Thomas
Brown") and SID ("Sidney Harris") as recorded in fields 40 of user
profiles 22 of their cell phones 10. JOHN can call TOM or SID by
selecting the appropriate name in the display.
[0063] In order for JOHN's cell phone 10 to determine which cell
phones 10 have a target attribute in their user profiles 22, JOHN's
cell phone 10 must have access to those user profiles 22. This
access is via base stations 50. Whenever a cell phone 10 becomes
active in the cell managed by a base station 50, either by moving
into that cell or by being turned on within that cell, that base
station 50 copies user profile 22 of that cell phone 10 into a
local database, and also transmits that user profile 22 to the
neighboring base stations 50 for copying to their own local
databases. JOHN's cell phone 10 requests, from the base station 50
that is servicing JOHN's cell phone 10, the geographical locations
of all cell phones 10 for which that base station 50 has recorded
in its database corresponding user profiles 22 that include the
target attribute. That base station 50 responds by sending to
JOHN's cell phone 10 those geographical locations, along with the
corresponding names as listed in fields 40 of user profiles 22 and
the corresponding telephone numbers as listed in fields 42 of user
profiles 22. Using the geographical location of JOHN's cell phone
10 as determined by navigation unit 28, processor 16 of JOHN's cell
phone 10 computes the range to all the cell phones 10 whose
geographical locations have been received from base station 50.
Cell phones 10 whose ranges are less than or equal to the defined
radius are within the defined neighborhood, and the corresponding
user names are displayed on display screen 26.
[0064] The target attribute sought by a user of cell phone 10 need
not be a user attribute of that user. Furthermore, a user of cell
phone 10 can seek other users according to logical combinations of
target attributes and ranges of numerical target attributes. For
example, a user with the attributes "Single", "Jewish", "Male" and
"Age=30" can seek users with the logical attribute combination
"Single" AND "Jewish" AND "Female" AND
"25.ltoreq.Age.ltoreq.32".
[0065] Note that JOHN need not have any user attributes of his own
defined in his user profile 22 in order to seek cell phones 10 of
other users that have a target attribute among their user
attributes.
Geographical Locations of Contacts or General Users
[0066] JOHN can find out where TOM or SID are by calling and asking
"where are you?" Alternatively, JOHN can invoke a display of the
geographical location of TOM or SID on display screen 26, either as
geographical coordinates in a standard coordinate system or
relative to JOHN's own location. FIG. 8 shows an example of one
such display, in terms of the range and bearing to SID relative to
JOHN. Note that "range" and "bearing" are geographical coordinates
in a coordinate system whose origin is at JOHN's location. The
information needed by processor 16 of JOHN's cell phone 10 to
compute this range and bearing is contained in SID's geographic
location as received by JOHN's cell phone 10 in the course of
identifying the other members of Masonic Lodge 123 whose cell
phones 10 are active within the defined neighborhood.
All Active Contacts
[0067] JOHN has the option of showing collectively and
simultaneously, in the display of contact list 20, all contacts
whose cell phones 10 are turned on, or all contacts within the
defined neighborhood whose cell phones 10 are turned on. FIG. 9 is
an example of a display of all contacts whose cell phones 10 are
turned on, i.e., all the contacts illustrated in FIG. 4. Note that
JOHN needs to scroll up and down in the display in order to see all
the active contacts. FIG. 10 is an example of a display of all
active contacts whose cell phones 10 are located within the defined
neighborhood.
[0068] In the example of FIG. 4, transceivers 14 of cell phones 10
are configured to communicate with each other only indirectly, via
base stations 50. In an alternative embodiment of the present
invention, transceivers 14 of cell phones 10 also are configured to
communicate directly with each other using a short range wireless
protocol such as Bluetooth. Such a transceiver 14 periodically
transmits a signal inviting any other such transceiver 14 that
receives the broadcast to respond by transmitting an
acknowledgement signal identifying itself. For example, according
to the device discovery procedure of the Bluetooth standard, the
first transceiver 14 periodically enters an "Inquiry" state in
which the first transceiver 14 seeks other Bluetooth transceivers
14 that are within wireless communication range by broadcasting ID
packets; and other Bluetooth transceivers 14 that are in range and
that are in an "Inquiry Scan" state identify themselves to the
first Bluetooth transceiver 14. When the first transceiver 14
receives an acknowledgement signal whose signal strength exceeds a
predefined minimum signal strength, the first transceiver 14 sets
up a piconet with the acknowledging transceiver 14 that supports
direct wireless communication between the two transceivers 14, with
the first transceiver 14 functioning as the piconet master and the
other transceiver 14 functioning as the piconet slave. The first
transceiver 14 continues to transmit the invitation signal
periodically. Other transceivers 14 that acknowledge the invitation
with acknowledgement signals whose strengths exceed the predefined
minimum are added to the piconet as slaves. The predefined minimum
signal strength thus defines a neighborhood of cell phone 10 of
which the master transceiver 14 is a component. The user of the
master cell phone 10 now is free to seek contacts, contacts with
target attributes, general users with target attributes, and
geographic locations thereof, as described above in the cellular
telephony context of FIG. 4. In the absence of base stations,
however, the master cell phone 10 must interrogate the slave cell
phones 10 to find out what their respective geographic locations
(as determined by the slaves' navigation units 28) and user
profiles 22 (as stored in the slaves' memories 18) are.
[0069] While the invention has been described with respect to a
limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many
variations, modifications and other applications of the invention
may be made.
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